Tanker due on Saturday

Press, 21 June 1984, Page 19

Tanker due on Saturday

PA Whangarei A tanker load of petrol from Singapore is due in New Zealand on Saturday, about four days ahead of the first flow from Marsden Point since the refinery shut down for maintenance in May. The coastal tanker Amokura is bringing relief supplies on a return voyage from a survey at Singapore. It will be the first of five tankers ordered from overseas to plug the gap in New Zealand's supply line, a situation aggravated by a dispute which disrupted the five-week biennial maintenance programme. Commissioning of the refinery at Marsden Point has begun with the first raising of steam and the plant will be progressively commis-

sioned this week with the final warm-up starting at the week-end. All going well, petrol should start to flow again about the middle of next week. The refinery's manager, Mr Frank Jacombs, said yesterday that the maintenance work was going verv well. The dispute which halted work on the refinery was settled on June 8 and two days later maintenance workers were back on the job. The director of oil products, Mr Andre Milkon, declined to say from Wellington this week where the critical areas of petrol shortage were or which port the Amokura would be directed to.